Fifteen rockers are up to bat for the five available slots at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this October. The nominee list (posted after the jump, along with our Top Five picks) has garnered mixed responses from the public–with some expressing outrage over the inclusion (and exclusion) of certain performers.
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Ballots will be mailed out to 500 voters, who will select five from the 15 choices. In order to qualify for induction in 2012, a band or artist had to release their first single or album 25 years prior to their nomination (for the mathematically challenged–1986 is this year's cut off).
The nominees are:
Beastie Boys
The Cure
Donovan
Eric B. & Rakim
Guns N' Roses
Heart
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
Freddie King
Laura Nyro
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rufus with Chaka Khan
The Small Faces/The Faces
The Spinners
Donna Summer
War
If I was to choose from the Cleveland-hall inductees, I'd go with: Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Guns N' Roses, Beastie Boys (yes, the Bboys are a hip-hop act, but they did help bridge the divide between rock and hip-hop–so that's who you can thank for all those awful Lil Wayne tracks), Heart and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Some notable snubbed acts: Bon Jovi, Jethro Tull, Rush, Kiss, Iron Maiden, Journey, The Smiths and Joy Divison.
